DIY Click LVT Install Goes Wrong at the Offset Planks

“We had some Marley tiles removed and the contractor sealed the bitumen that was left behind with PVA. We want to install glue down LVT or similar flooring. Does anything need to be done before putting down self leveling compound or can it go straight over the PVA? submitted by /u/karmacarmelon [link] [comments]”

“Just bought a house and doing some work in the basement. P.O. has some unnamed LVP floating on concrete. I am a little worried about moisture but I know some LVP needs pad, some doesn’t. How do I know if I can put something under this product? submitted by /u/GhostD06 [link] [comments]”

“we just laid down about 1,800 sq ft of click-lock lvp throughout our main living areas and kitchen. keeping up w/ daily toddler spills and dry mess has been exhausting, and sweeping first then dragging out a microfiber pad every single night is eating up my evenings. a coworker suggested looking into the tineco floor one s9 artist steam pro since it has flashdry self-cleaning on the dock and the dualblock anti-tangle setup. what they said sounded convenient for cutting maintenance down to one ru”

“Hi, we’re going to move soon in our newbuild and we’ll install the LVT ourselves, it’s Amtico Click Smart. But we are not sure if we should use a primer or not, what ardex products to buy. We first checked the humidity and it’s around 70%. Any recommendations? Also, how many should be alright? We have young kids and it’s a townhouse, we’ll put LVT everywhere except stairs and landing. Thanks a bunch! submitted by /u/cotton_sunset [link] [comments]”

“Hi we are in the house renovation project for our semi and on the first floor which had timber floor boards the builder installed fine floor fibre board above the boards and installed the click lvt flooring from SCN which was overall 6.5 mm with underlay. At some places it’s creaking a lot and we are not sure what needs to be done as the builder states it is new floor hence will take time to settle. Did he do a wrong thing by adding the fibre board below the LVT as some of the google AI response”

“Fairly new first time homeowner here. Trying some DIY work and definitely not my specialty. I have a room that I'd like to cover in LVP click locks, but found it wasn't working because some of the tiles have lips. Google (Gemini) is very convinced I only need to use skimcoat & patch over the shallow grout lines and ramp off the tiles that do have lips to make it a smoother transition. Is this accurate? Or am I looking at getting the whole room self levels? I thought this was going to”

“Hello, I am a DIYer who will be flattening and leveling my subfloor in preparation for new floors soon. I’m overwhelmed trying to decide on a floor because all I see is conflicting information about what is best. My impression so far that LVP is generally more resistant to water but possibly only in ways that don’t matter and that modern laminate is superior in every other way. I’ve seen good advice that says just shop both types and compare what you get for the price. But how do I compare the p”

“Sorry if my vocab is incorrect as I know nothing about flooring, hence why I’m asking the experts. The “sealant” between my LVP flooring is coming up in places and wondering if there is anything I can do to fix it? Is this actually the issue or an I just ignorant? Again I know next to nothing about flooring and am trying to educate myself. submitted by /u/Maleficent-Level6479 [link] [comments]”

“Hi everyone, I recently bought an apartment where the previous owner installed the flooring himself. The floor is 3.5 mm click vinyl (SPC), and one spot actually collapsed after being walked on regularly. When the previous owner came to repair it, I saw that underneath the vinyl there was a hollow space. There were long support strips/rails underneath, but apart from those strips only hollow space. Now I’ve noticed that the floor flexes/gives slightly under my feet in several other areas as well”

“We had good quality LVT floors installed about a year and a half ago. Shortly after a year, the floor started showing significant gapping, mobile planks and cupping. Long story short, this lead to us hiring an independent floor inspector who identified the issue as improper installation due to a lack of subfloor prep (subfloor was not level) and also conformation of subfloor (3/4 inch plywood) and joist spacing (24 inch spaced joists) not meeting manufacturer requirements for install. Currently”

“Advice needed on LVT flooring installation As you can see in the photos, we had some worn-out floorboards replaced near the right wall and window (where the kitchen is going to be fitted). Which were a higher height the originals These new replacement boards sit slightly higher than the rest of the subfloor. We paid the company for both the fitting and floor prep, but it looks like they’ve just laid the plywood directly over that height difference without checking if it was level as you can see”

“Had a water leak (now fixed) that turned my chipboard subfloor to sponge in a few spots. Lino is glued straight down onto the chipboard, no underlay. Planning to sort the subfloor properly before laying LVT. Here's my plan — would appreciate a sanity check from anyone who know what they are doing (as i don't!) Pull up the lino, cut out and remove the damaged/spongy chipboard, and replace those sections with tongue & groove OSB flooring board. Go over the rest of the existing chipboar”

“I wanted to know if the movement seen in the attached video is too much movement for LVP or would that be fine? There is a few spots with the same movement on our basement subfloor but wanted to know if this would be acceptable? submitted by /u/Casperisfriend [link] [comments]”

“I have the following flooring and I’m struggling to cut it. I thought I’d be able to score and snap with a Stanley knife. But nope it’s too thick. I tried a manual floor cutter similar to a guillotine. I have now tried a mitre saw but the cuts still aren’t as accurate. Any tips? https://www.leaderonline.com/products/natural-oak-lifestyle-spc-herringbone-5-5mm-rigid-core-lvt-flooring?variant=48497200988393 submitted by /u/Equivalent_Art_282 [link] [comments]”

“I’m installing click lock flooring and it’s proving more challenging than all the 10-15 minute videos lead me to believe! Floor is on a concrete slab. Removed the carpet to reveal tile which came up super easy (with PPE of course). I’ve sprayed the remaining residue with water and dawn and it scraped up decently. However there remains the majority of the mastic. It’s pretty smooth but there is are very thin ridges from the adhesive. And the floor is pretty flat overall. First question is how smo”

“What’s the protocol ? Shim ? submitted by /u/DecentCarrot3220 [link] [comments]”

“Has anyone ran into this issue? Im pulling up old flooring and saw this under a rug then laminate flooring. How would I start the prep work on a slab like this? submitted by /u/braz2006 [link] [comments]”

“We're having someone renovate our basement. He laid the Barricade subfloor with (6mm) vinyl (1mm backing +5mm solid) on top. Now that it's done, he says it's unclicking in a couple places and one plank cracked (I'm away, have to go by his word + pics). Friends of ours used the same LVP with Dricore Insul Armor and had no problems. I /thought/ this barricade subfloor would be (the Canadian) equivalent. He (supposedly) addressed leveling issues already with self level in s”

“I’m installing Click Lock Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring and I have high and low spots on a painted/epoxy concrete floor. What are my options to correct these issues? submitted by /u/Therealpbsquid [link] [comments]”

“Hi. I'm buying a Victorian terraced house in London, it has suspended timber flooring and it is quite ugly, stained, but firm. Would you cover this with 6 mm plywood + glued down LVT, or would you replace it with 18 mm plywood + glued down LVT? It's for downstairs, reception/living room + dining room, in case it matters. submitted by /u/Revolutionary_Oil897 [link] [comments]”

“This is a big purchase for me, so I am hoping to get feedback on Home Depot's LifeProof LVP regarding ease of installation and durability. I had 99% settled on that brand due to its durability claims, waterproof claims and the lifetime residential warranty, but then I checked out the highly variable customer reviews. Some colours especially seem to have a lot of one-star reviews complaining about installation issues and the locking mechanism being terrible to work with... Has anyone experien”

“Looking for some advice from flooring contractors/anyone familiar with glue-down LVT before I meet with the flooring supervisor on Monday. We just had Mannington Adura Flex 12x24 glue-down LVT professionally installed in our kitchen. We went with a highly recommended local flooring company that has been doing business in our town for around 30 years, so I really wasn’t expecting to have this many concerns with the install. Our house is 100+ years old, so obviously the walls aren’t perfectly stra”

“I do general building and laid quite a few different types of flooring, I’ve actually used LVT before but this particular one I’m using atm is 600x300 and is a nightmare to lock together. You can’t really tap it very well as it just butts up and doesn’t lock in properly, the only way it goes together is to lift the header part of the board in on an angle and drop it down , get it as tight as possible to the longe edge, and kind of bend and manipulate it in. It’s taken me all day to do a 15 squar”

“Hi all. I am planning to replace our floors. This is my first time doing it and I have a question. Our current floors are a mix of tile and a vinyl sheet stuck directly to the slab. The surface of the tile is 1/2 inch higher than the vinyl, and the concrete is "ramped" over about 1 foot to smooth the transition. Do I need to break out/ level the "ramp" before putting in LVP? submitted by /u/mangonaught [link] [comments]”

“End of plank is coming up is there any way to make this look better or get it to flatten down? submitted by /u/Timely_Promise5707 [link] [comments]”

“Hi, all! I successfully installed my first lvp floor (lifeproof) in my gym and I'm ready to tackle the stairs leading into the kitchen (which I will also eventually do with the same lvp). The gym used to be a garage, so the stairs are cement and both longer and wider than a single plank. Does anyone have any suggestions or tips for laying the lvp on here? My plan was to glue with liquid nails. But I'm concerned about the number of seams there will be (although I can't really do much”

“Just installed some poplar plywood underlay before vinyl planks go on. Srored inside. Used Selley's Direct Stick for Timber Floors. Says it can be used for this purpose. It is stuck to a timber floor. Free of moisture. Stapled with 22mm flooring staples. Curious to know the cause. Anyone have any ideas? Edit: Curious to know the cause of the grey streaks. They were not there prior to glueing down. submitted by /u/Underwaterboiboi [link] [comments]”

“Planning on installing some LVP in my living room and pulled up the carpet to find cracking along the tack strips. This is on 2 exterior walls of the house. Is this a large concern or just a result of shrinkage between the slab and stem walls or something else? If I were to pour some self leveling underlayment before the LVP, do I need to prevent it from going into the cracks by stuffing with backer rod or maybe just put some planipatch in it? submitted by /u/1abcdefedcba1 [link] &#3”

“Just replaced my son’s flooring as it was laminate that was shifting and moving when walked on. I used Quick Step LTV and given I don’t know anyone to advise me I read here and also watched YouTube videos. First time changing a floor. I took the skirtings off, levelled the floor as best I could, left an expansion gap, made sure all the planks clicked in and made sure no joints are closer than 300mm next to each other and then replaced the skirtings and caulked them this morning. I wanted some fe”

“I thought I did a pretty good job with the floor, then learned that the H pattern of having every other row match is bad due to repeated stress on certain floor joints. I've done other rental units like this, how screwed am I? submitted by /u/LattesAvocadoToast [link] [comments]”

“I have LVP flooring that has developed gaps between some of the planks in a bunch of different places in a bedroom. Maybe 10-12 total. Initially I tried using the rubber mallet method to physically move the planks and close the gaps, but that didn't work. Then I tried using Roberts QuickRepair putty to fill the gaps. As you can see in the photos, pretty poor results there, especially since the putty dramatically darkened over time. I spoke to a handyman about the problem and he suggested the”

“can I replace one damaged plank in middle off floor. submitted by /u/Ok_Cup9794 [link] [comments]”

“Hey Everyone, I am in the process of a DIY install of LVP stair treads. The current nosing on the stairs is slightly larger than the stair tread pieces that I purchased. I have read that it is common practice to cut the nosing flush at a 90-degree angle, but reading through the code for my state, it needs to be greater than 9 in from nose to nose. Cutting the nosing would cause it to go below 9 inches. The other idea that I read was to cut the width of the stair slightly so that the stair tread”

“Had lvp click lock floor installed a few weeks ago/ maybe a month. Noticed this today looks like something underneath popped through… any easy way to fix this? This is somewhat in the middle of the field but closer to the starting point and baseboard has already been installed.. what can I do to fix this without pulling up and the flooring to this point submitted by /u/mcsizmesia10 [link] [comments]”

“I'm laying LVT on a plywood subfloor that goes on to wooden floorboards. If I screw down all the edges of the plywood, can I panel pin the the inner areas? It's costing me a fortune in Spax screws at the minute so I was looking for cheaper alternatives. submitted by /u/PigB0dine [link] [comments]”

“I’m covering a gap with a 2” transition strip. Door went in after flooring. Scheduling issue. I’m going to just snug the strip up to the first line on the threshold. Below the LVP is concrete. I’m thinking of just using a good silicone or construction adhesive, no nails or screws. How would I deal with the screw holes so that water and other junk doesn’t get in. I was thinking a few spots of adhesive and then some good gobs of silicone anything that squeezes out through the screw holes I can wip”

“I'm finishing my basement and ready to lay down flooring - which we're going with Lifeproof LVP. Am I okay to install the planks directly over the concrete flooring with no vapor barrier? The concrete has been painted multiple times/colors over the years and I've done moisture tests (taping plastic sheet down) on the floor in more worn areas before and found 0 signs of moisture. Ive seen mixed feedback on saying you should or shouldn't install anything additional to the underlaym”

“So we installed our own LVP flooring in our living room and we are now tackling our upstairs. The only problem is that there are 4 doorways we have to figure out how to maneuver. Is it true that the best way to install LVP is by shaving off the lip and supergluing the edges to get around the lifting portion of installation when it comes to these portions?? That’s what I have seen on the majority of YouTube videos but it just didn’t feel right to do. We are unfortunately going longways across eve”

“I have a room in my house that i want to install LVP flooring on. It's a concrete slab, approx 25x17'. I have some concerns about the slab: The slab is not entirely level with the adjacent room's tile floor. On one side, the slab is 1/2" lower than the tile, and on the other side it's 7/8". Is there an interface that can hide this 3/8" slope/variance? The slab had a leveler poured on it which is reasonably flat but there are cracks and some chunks missing. It was p”

“Hey everyone! I'm trying to teach myself some skills and am finishing my basement myself. I'm almost done with installing my coretec Fidalgo oak floor (7" width) in the room, but the end row is shaping up to be only 2 inches from the wall. Should i cut the first row down so that the last row is a bit bigger, or is 2" fine? If I should cut it down, what's the best method? My instinct would be to use a chalkline and multi tool and trim it down submitted by /u/Cosm”

“Hi, I'm renovating an old (1920s?) Philadelphia townhouse and finishing the basement. I tried to understand different flooring material choices for the basement but couldn't quite understand what the deal is. I saw other homes put LVP or Laminate flooring everywhere but tile the basement. Why is that? Isn't it supposedly waterproof? Would appreciate some explanations. submitted by /u/RightIsMight1615 [link] [comments]”

“Bought a new build in August '25. I'm concerned about the LVP flooring and if it needs to be addressed before the 1 yr builder warranty expires. Problem: When walking on the floor you can feel the division between each plank. Some of the boards have a cracking/pushing down into place feeling when stepping on them. Some boards have a smooth transition to another plank but most don't. Pics attached (hopefully they capture what I'm trying to explain). Note: The planks have beveled e”

“Not at all a flooring expert or even a general home improvement knower, so asking for input/advice on an issue we have. A little less than 2 years ago we installed NuCore LVP in Athena Oak, done by a contractor as part of a broader remodel. About one year in, noticed the end of one plank bending up in a little lip. Got the contractor back out, he looked at it and said it was a manufacturing defect. Contacted Floor & Decor, was told it was installer error, I think something about them damagin”

“I’ve been installing flooring for years, and one mistake I see over and over is homeowners focusing only on price or color. In my experience, these factors matter much more: • **Wear layer** – A 20 mil wear layer is usually the sweet spot for active homes with kids or pets. • **Subfloor preparation** – Even the best flooring can fail if it’s installed over an uneven or damp subfloor. Moisture testing and proper floor prep are just as important as the product itself. • **SPC vs. WPC** – SPC is mo”

“I’ve been installing flooring for years, and one mistake I see over and over is homeowners focusing only on price or color. In my experience, these factors matter much more: • **Wear layer** – A 20 mil wear layer is usually the sweet spot for active homes with kids or pets. • **Subfloor preparation** – Even the best flooring can fail if it’s installed over an uneven or damp subfloor. Moisture testing and proper floor prep are just as important as the product itself. • **SPC vs. WPC** – SPC is mo”

“Hey everyone, I’m moving out of my apartment soon and noticed these dents left by the feet of a heavy piece of furniture. The flooring is click-lock vinyl plank (LVP), not real hardwood . The furniture left compressed indentations, but the planks aren’t cracked or gouged. I’ve attached pictures. A few questions: Is there any way to reduce or remove these dents on vinyl plank flooring? Has anyone had luck with heat or any other repair method, or is that only for hardwood? If these are permanent,”

“I’ve got LVT and this is my living room I’m wanting to lay it down on. I’m not a pro or DIY expert so I’m looking for some advice and trying to not to have to screed the whole room. Either side of the fire place on the pics with a 2m straight it slopes off gradually to the wall to roughly 19mm. Would I be okay to lay the floor I’ll be going long ways not across the room with the lengths of LVT. I’m just wondering if a gradual slope is going to cause damage or it will be fine. submitted by”

“I just pulled up carpet and am trying to prep for LVP. I pulled out all these loose chunks from the subfloor. Do I put the large pieces back and fill in with floor patch? Would concrete patch be better? Do I need to lay new concrete in that corner? Thanks in advance. submitted by /u/yakcmnoslen [link] [comments]”

“We had Amtico Spacia flooring installed in most of our downstairs back in December. More recently we’ve noticed hairline gaps (less than 1mm) appearing in several locations. Could this be heat related? Issues with installation? Quality of materials? Through research it looks like we have a couple of options to address eg colour-matched filling compound. Certainly don’t want to be taking the whole lot up again. Or are we just being overly picky? submitted by /u/Ok-Scarcity-4808 [link]”

“Hey everyone, I recently had a leak in my guest bathroom in my living area, so the existing LVP flooring needs to be replaced. The problem is that I can’t find the same color, and the old flooring matched the LVP in my living room. The bathroom is pretty small about 5×6 feet. My other bathrooms currently have 12×12 tiles, but I’m considering using 12×24 tiles in this bathroom for a more updated look or what would u think? Would you recommend going with tile or installing a different style of LVP”

“Subfloor is concrete and I used self lever to make the floor as flat as the tiles, then I put down moisture barrier on the section that used to be carpet, which is now covered by the self leveler but I left out the tile section because I thought I'd keep it, although it'll require some transitions. But now as I worked closer to the tile section, if I put down the moisture barrier on top of the tiles, it'll just be about level as the rest of the room. Debating whether I should cover t”

“Look at the protective/wear layer thickness. Anything below 20mm is a no go.”

“Sorry if this is hard to see. This is professionally installed, brand new LVP in my house. I haven’t used any strong chemicals to leave a residue behind. It’s only visible when I’m mopping or it’s wet. But it’s driving me insane !!! What is this? How do I get it out?!? Any ideas???? submitted by /u/emzhigh [link] [comments]”

“the difference between cheap LVP that looks bad in 3 years and good LVP that lasts 8+ is mostly in the wear layer thickness. what you probably installed was 6 mil or 8 mil wear layer, which degrades fast in rentals. go for at least 12 mil, ideally 20 mil for high traffic areas for specific brands worth looking at: COREtec is the most recommended in the landlord community for durability, it's thicker and more rigid than most budget LVP and holds up significantly better. Shaw and Pergo also ma”

“I am about to pull the trigger in these LVP flooring grom Innova Collection. I plan on installing it in my entire house excluding bathrooms, so it’ll be ~3700sq ft plus waste. I couldn’t find many reviews on this product or manufacturer but many of the independent flooring stores in my area carry this and generally recommend it. Just looking for any last minute advice, suggestions or warnings from the pros out there before I finalize this deal. Any personal experiences with this manufacturer or”

“I was planning to install LVP flooring over the existing tile in my bathroom, but while prepping the floor I noticed what appeared to be some rotting subfloor near the tub. I removed a section of tile to investigate further. The wood underneath is still hard and solid when probed, so it seems like the damage may only be superficial staining from past moisture rather than actual rot. Now I’m unsure how to proceed. Can I still install the LVP over the existing tile, or do I need to remove the rest”

“Hi all! After watching hundreds of videos I realised it's time to do my first serious DIY. I've ripped the old disgusting laminate (pic attached) and started looking at the sub floor. As it looks there seems ot be some moisture by the door and the whole subfloor is very uneven. What would be the best course of action? From what I understand the floor for installing floating floor should be flat so should my net course of action be cleaning the surface, covering in SBR and then using a se”

“We had stick down LVT in our kitchen and had it in a previous house so we like it. Doing our bedroom we though we'd give click LVT a go as it's cheaper as I can lay it myself. On the instructions it says to use a PU foil underlay over concrete to stop moisture, but our floor isn't just concrete. It was built in the early 60's and has a bitumen type covering on the floor which I think was what they put on before changing to a DPM. Anyways, do I need the PU underlay? Or should I ju”

“I’ve ripped and restarted this floor 8 times already and I don’t know where to go from here without ripping it up again. The planks off set and don’t click in after a certain point. Do I keep going or how do I fix this?? submitted by /u/Beeboprockstead [link] [comments]”